WEST COAST TIMBER

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26032, 8 February 1950, Page 3

WEST COAST TIMBER

AMOUNT SENT TO CANTERBURY REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS From Out Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, February 7. Canterbury was getting more timber than before the war, said the president of the West Coast Sawmillers’ Association, Mr A. L. McKay, commenting to-day on allegations that West Coast sawmillers were partly responsible for Canterbury’s timber shortage, because of shipments sent to the North Island and to Australia. Canterbury was receiving considerably < more timber than in pre-war years, 1 and almost three-quarters of the tqtal West Coast production. Could this oe I construed as neglect of the Canterbury area? asked Mr McKay. Mr McKay was referring to the complai it made by a Christchurch builder, 1 Mr A. R. Alexander, who had written to the Minister of Forests (Mr EL B. Corbett) and the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr C. M. Bowden), claiming that timber shortages, accentuated by West Coast shipments to Australia and the North Island, had hamstrung building work in Canterbury. “Little timber is now shipped to the North Island,” Mr McKay said. “The amount is about two million feet annually. Shipments to Australia are reciprocal' ones to ensure that a cargo of Australian hardwoods is brought direct to Greymouth for the use of the local bodies which have been starved of this urgently-needed class of timber.” V' West Coast millers had continuously fulfilled undertakings given since the war that every South Island district would receive an equitable supply of timber, and this would continue, said Mr McKay. Coast millers were not concerned with any individual. Their aim had been to supply the districts. Progress League’s Resolution A motion assuring members of the West Coast. Sawmillers’ Association that wholehearted support would be given them in combating any attempts to restrict the shipment of timber from the port of Greymouth either to Australia or the North Island, was made at a meeting of the Westland District Progress League last evening. It was considered that the West Coast millers had at all times seen that all South Island districts had been given equitable supplies from the West oast.